Local leaders took a deep dive into Napa County's water world, from stormwater runoff to the link between groundwater and streams to flood protection to dry-farmed vineyards.
The occasion was the Napa County Watershed Symposium. More than 160 people attended Thursday at CIA at Copia in Napa, among them elected officials, environmentalists, vintners, consultants, staff from various agencies and the curious.
Bruce Barge, president of the Napa County Resource Conservation District board, talked about the theme of "one water."
"We're looking for a universal vision that connects all aspects of the watershed," he told the gathering packed into Copia's Ecolab Theater.
Napa County's water world ranges from the forests and grasslands of the mountain watersheds to streams feeding the Napa River that flows through Napa Valley to groundwater to south county wetlands.
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That water nourishes an environment that includes fish such as the steelhead trout. It is also pumped from the ground to irrigate Napa County's world-famous vineyards, captured behind reservoirs to serve local cities, and held back by flood walls during winter storms to protect property.
Christian Braudrick of Stillwater Sciences discussed how groundwater can seep into streams and the Napa River in the Upvalley during hot, dry summers to create pools. That gives life to fish and aquatic life such as the California freshwater shrimp.
Seventy percent of the channel in the Calistoga stretch was dry this past summer, with isolated pools. In St. Helena, a mile-long stretch went completely dry, he said.
All of this will be the subject of more study as Napa County works on state-required programs to address Napa Valley groundwater issues. Reasons for the St. Helena dry stretch could range from well pumping in certain locations to how the river is channeled in that area.
One way to address such problems could be to use floodwaters from atmospheric rivers to recharge groundwater at selected locations, so groundwater can feed the river during the summer. Kamyar Guivetchi of the California Department of Water Resources focused on that topic.
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Lauren Pesch of Chavez & Leeds Family Vineyards talked about dry farming -- having vineyards without irrigation.
"I'm able to grow a big, healthy vine that gets above-average yields for Napa without putting any water on," she said.
Techniques include tending the soil so it acts as a sponge to capture and retain moisture from rains, she said. Another method is choosing the correct rootstock. Still another is having the proper spacing for each vine, such as 50 square feet.
Speakers from the Abuelitos Foundation talked about the links between the environment and local vineyard farming. The group, founded in 2022, promotes "living watershed ecosystem restoration" from the headwaters to the valley floor to the bay.
Ideas included installing rock water detention structures in streams to slow runoff and allow for infiltration, having permanent groundcovers in vineyards, and using dry farming.
Tod Mostero of Dominus Estate and Abuelitos said there's a need to restore landscapes using nature-based solutions. In Napa, that means rethinking land management.
"If our ecosystem is dead, so will be the wines," Mostero said.
Rick Thomasser of the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District talked about the half-billion dollars invested over 15 years in local flood control and restoration projects.
Work is being done not only in wine country, but in the south county amid the wetlands surrounding American Canyon. City Manager Jason Holley explained an effort underway to further restore wetlands there.
And those were only some of the speakers at the six-hour symposium. At one point, about 18 people stepped forward to talk about work their organizations are doing, everything from Napa Sanitation District wastewater recycling to installing devices that capture and remove trash from storm drains.
Barge of the resource conservation district gave his takeaway at the symposium's close after hearing those quick presentations. He said there are "reasons we should take heart."
The Napa County Watershed Symposium was co-hosted by the resource district and the Watershed Information and Conservation Council of Napa County.
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You can reach Barry Eberling at 707-256-2253 or [email protected].
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Napa County Reporter
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